Victim shot in chest during drug deal

Published 10:04 pm, Wednesday, September 21, 2016

EDWARDSVILLE — A man with a long record pleaded guilty Wednesday to shooting a man in the chest, killing him, during a drug deal at a vacant house in Alton.

Bruce D. Bradley, 40, of Fairview Heights, was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Assistant State’s Attorney Josh Jones said the evidence would have shown that Bradley and Antione Parker, 35, of Belleville, showed up Sept. 6, 2014, at a vacant house in Alton with the intent to rob the victim, Melvin Hayes. Court documents allege that the three men were involved in a drug deal.

Bradley was accused of shooting Hayes in the chest with a semi-automatic rifle. Police searched the house and found evidence that an AK-47 assault rifle was used.

Parker was also charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery. He is awaiting trial.

Bradley has a criminal record dating back to 1996, when he was convicted in St. Clair County of robbery. He was sentenced to 18 months probation.

He was also convicted in 1999 in federal court of possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine. He also has a federal conviction of violating parole, as well as convictions for possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, forgery and manufacturing or delivering marijuana.

Parker has drug convictions dating to 2003, including delivery of cocaine and being a felon in possession of a weapon. He had three felony charges pending when he was accused of killing Hayes.

Police recovered AK-47 assault rifle ammunition, more than 500 grams of marijuana and records from several cell phones in the home at 1000 Market St.

Hayes was found dead just after 4 p.m. on the back porch of the house after several people called to report shots fired.

Witnesses also reported seeing a man running from the back of the residence, claiming someone was shooting at him.

Shortly after the shooting, police checked the cell phone in the victim’s pocket and found the contact “E Side,” in the phone.

“E Side” is identified in the court documents as Parker.

Court documents indicate Parker and Bradley fled the scene in Bradley’s black Lexus and went to the area of Parker’s home in Belleville. Police also obtained a Google map of the area in which Bradley reportedly lives and found the black Lexus, which has been taken as potential evidence.